


Somebody Who Deserved It

by orphan_account



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Angst, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Flashbacks, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Lars Adjusting, Lars Is Basically Stevens Surrogate Brother, Mild Gore, Minor Original Character(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Wanted, Reunions, Self-Discovery, Spoilers, Swearing, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 13:06:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11231616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lars Barriga had always took his life on Earth for granted. But after being abducted and deserted on Homeworld for 6 months; his fate ends up intertwined with the gems. As if losing his humanity wasn't enough for a anxiety-prone teenager to adjust to, Lars is also recruited as a member of The Crystal Gems. He must leave behind his old life in order to train and master his newfound powers. Except- it might mean leaving Sadie behind. Will he be able to go through with it; if he even has a choice?Ongoing story, with flashback sub-plot chapters connecting to events within main story.





	1. What Comes Next?

The last 6 months felt as if it was an eternity. The gem-ruled planet had a loose grip on the concept of time, one of which was much harder to grasp onto for an earthling like Lars. With no sun or moon to track, it was like time stood frozen for the last months. It felt like the day would never come, when they would finally escape the bounds within Diamond domain, and be able to find a new home on a planet called "Earth".

The Off-Colored Gems gathered around the front of their hijacked ship, admiring the unfamiliar star-system. They discussed their plans about joining the Crystal Gems when they'd arrive, giddy in exitement as they neared towards their new home.

All but Lars. He had been sitting in the back of the vessel alone, fiddling with his thumbs anxiously for the last hour. Was he eager to reunite with his family and friends? Yes. Was he relieved to be free from Homeworld? Absolutely! But those feelings bared in comparison to the crippling anxiety that lingered in the pit of his stomach.

The semi-human was haunted by a single question; "What comes next?" He couldn't stop questioning himself- the future haunted him. Lars was never one to be good at confronting others, but after being away and in constant peril for so long- what was he going to say?

Lars looked at his reflection in the ship's window, pretending it was how others were going to see him.

"H-hey, it's been a while- hasn't it..?" He waved to himself a little, faking a half smile. He immediately broke into a loud groan, pushing his head into the glass material. "Seriously- it's been a while, hasn't it? That sounds so desperate. What am I; some... middle aged lady making small talk with her co-worker's kid?"

Fluorite had overheard Lars, gently resting a hand on his back to get his attention. "I'm certain that no matter how you greet them, they will still be delighted to see you again." She gave him a reassuring look.

Lars gave the fusion a genuine smile, "Thanks.. I'll try to keep that in mind."

After she had turned away, Lars turned back to the window, staring at his own reflection over the stars. He tried not to focus on his thoughts, but they managed to start creeping up on him nonetheless.

"There it is!" Lars heard one of the Rutile twins yell out, followed by exited bantering from everyone except for Padparadscha- whom was still commenting about the asteroid they'd passed 15 minutes ago. "Lars, over here!"

Lars shook his head, as he got up to join the others. Earth was visable in the far distance of the direction Rhodonite piloted them. "It shouldn't be too long now, only a few more hours until we enter the atmosphere, at this rate!" The fusion announced proudly.

Padparadrascha clapped in joy, "Lars, come, look!" She ushered to him, as he was already next to her. The pink earthling began to regain his optimism, as he observed the gems' joy.

Suddenly as they were chatting about Earth, Lars started to feel top heavy, as he lost balance, toppling back. Steven leaped out of his hair, helping Lars up while apologizing for the inconvenient form of transportation. "Everyone's ready for you, Lars!" Steven had been informing the others at Beach City of Lars' arrival.

The Off-Colors had recently found a way to inform Steven if they needed his presence. Unfortunately none of the gems could enter Lars' pocket dimension like Steven, but they were able to get their hands on a broken Era 2 Wailing Stone device that was discarded by a Commanding Agate. It was a small 2 way communicator, despite being broken, they were still able to contact Steven with it- however the signal was cutoff, and could only be used one-way.

When they had initially gotten off of Homeworld, the first thing they did was radio Steven back on Earth, whom arrived shortly after. The ship was a Roaming Eye. It was in poor condition, since it was the only one they could get a hold of. But, thankfully because Rhodonite was part Ruby, and as such- a trained pilot, they were able to set their coordinates to Earth with an estimated arrival of 3 days.

"They're all coming..?" He asked, nervously.

"Yup, I let your parents, Sadie, Buck, Sour Cream, Jenny, and of course the Gems know! Connie also wanted to come, too, if you don't mind. So did Ronaldo- but, I knew he just wanted to ask you a billion questions about space, so I didn't let him. Anyways, they're waiting on the beach for you, now!" Steven stopped rambling and mellowed down before continuing, "They're really excited to see you again, Lars... They all missed you a lot and were worried sick."

Lars looked down at his own hands, with a solemn look in his eyes, "And... How do you think they will take it?" Nobody knew. No one was told that he died, and the only ones that knew about the powers were the Crystal Gems. Lars was certain that he wanted his friends and family to see what he had become for themselves. It would be a lot to explain- but it was best if he did it himself.

The half-gem put the palm of his hand on Lar's chest, against his tattered shirt. "I think they'll still love you, anyways." He gave a light hearted smile, which Lars returned.

Turning to the Off-Colors, Steven started getting overly excited again, "The Crystal Gems can't wait to meet you guys! Garnet is realllly anticipating it!"

"Steven's here!" Padparadrascha noted.

Fluorite smiled down at the child, "Tell Garnet we are also looking forward to it."

Steven nodded. Lars had already bowed down, allowing Steven to step into his hair-wormhole. He wave goodbye to everyone as he went back through Lars.

Once he was safely through, Lars pushed himself off of the cold floor and stood up. He was used to Steven entering his hair now, the only part he had trouble with was the unexpected visits out of his head.

This was it.. Just a little longer, and this whole journey would finally be over. Lars took a seat, and looked out to the Earth. What followed, was the longest hour of his life. He was too anxious about the reunion; with each second, rose a new question that Lars couldn't find an answer for. It felt so dumb- he was able to fight off fucking deadly space robots and high-ranking gem warriors, but he couldn't face a little social interaction? Pathetic. And what about Sadie? Last time he saw her, he abandoned her! Would she even forgive him for that..?

"Don't worry Lars..." Rutile addressed him, interrupting his train of thought. "We're here, too. We have your back!" They both smiled at him, putting their right arm on his shoulder.

"Thanks..." Lars at least knew he could count on Rutile, Padparadscha, Rhodonite, and Fluorite. The 4 unlikely aliens, they were like a whole new family to him now. He would have never expected to find anyone like them. They were all so incredibly different to him, and unique in their own way- yet so similar.. He was comfortable around the Off-Colors. "You're all going to love it on Earth. "


	2. Crash And Burn

Overall, the trip from Homeworld to Earth went fairly smooth- be it, slower than ideal. Upon approaching the planet's atmosphere, the ship's power went off- and a red light illuminated the interior of the spacecraft. The light was followed by a corresponding siren, sounding off. "What's going on?" Rutile asked, as everyone gathered around their pilot.

"The ship's going haywire!" The Pearl-Ruby fusion shouted. "This is going to be a rough landing," she started. "Perhaps if we can subdue it enough- we can slow down enough to get back on course."

Lars grabbed the Wailing Stone, pressing a hand on the top button, before yelling into it. "Steven, get everyone away from the beach, now! We-we're loosing control, and we're going to crash! Rhodonite's trying to get us on track, hang on- we'll be there soon!"

Rhodonite was fixated on the controls, struggling to stabilize the unsteady ship. The faulty vessel had went lost control entirely, and at the rate it was going- they were going to crash into the ocean. Rhodonite shouted out directions to the other Off-Colors, as they scrambled to assist her.

It was too late to get themselves back on track, as they plummeted into the coast off of Beach City. "Prepare for impact!" She yelled, heaving the commands back with all of her strength, in attempt to diminish the damage of the crash. Fluorite protectively wrapped her large body around the Rutiles, Lars, and Padparadscha. The group braced themselves, as the ship hit the shallow water, it penetrating the dirt and sand at full force. When they came to a halt, alas, the ship had been reduced to scraps- and the Off-Colors were scattered in the rubble.

The earthlings, whom were watching from the edge of the beach, gathered around the crater created in the impact with a concerned clamor. "Wait here, I'm going to get them!" Steven summoned his shield as he ran ahead of them, and leaped into the crash site. He squinted- trying to see through the thick cloud of smoke and dust. He could barely catch a glimpse of his surroundings, it was dark out- and the air was too foggy. "Lars?!" He called out, pushing himself through the heavy wreckage. He came to a stop, as he saw a few vaguely familiar figures become visible through the smoke in front of him. The slim, pink-toned figure weakly pushed his body off of the ground, groaning swear-words to himself, as the 4 armed fusion nearby held herself in a hug, rubbing her hands up and down her upper arms. Instantly recognizing the smaller of the 2, and Steven's shield vanished into light as he embraced Lars with a tight hug- catching the teen by surprise.

"He-hey Steven." His eyes softened and he smiled a bit, as his feeble body returned Steven's affection. Noticing the lack of energy, Steven released- realizing how exhausted Lars must had been from the landing.

Rhodonite stumbled to her feet. "Well, still not my worst landing-" she paused, before correcting herself, "Erm- our worst landing."

The delayed Sapphire shouted in a distance, "Look out! We're going to crash, everybody!" Steven approached the voice, lifting up scrapped metal to reveal the Padparadscha, sitting on a larger fusion whom was lying half-buried in the sand. Steven picked up the smaller gem, placing her on her feet, before the fusion rolled herself over and stood up.

"Thank you, Steven," Fluorite said slowly, surveying they area. "Where are the Rutile twins...?" She took note of the Off-Color's absence. The smoke was cleared enough to see - and yet Rutile was nowhere to be seen.

Lars' eyes widened, as he stumbled to his knees and looked down to a gemstone lying in the damp sand. He picked it up and dusted off the muk. "Rutile..?" He maundered to the stone. Was she... Gone..? Lars was terrified that he'd lost one of his friends, and right after they had finally gotten back to Earth.

"It's okay Lars! They'll be fine!" Steven consoled him. "Rutile just had to go back to her gem form and heal!" Lars looked up, tears forming around his eyes. He bit his lip, looking back down to Rutile's gem.

"I foresee," Padparadscha started to speak, standing between Steven and Lars, startling the two from their grieving. "Rutile will be impaled by a piece of the ship; they have suffered great damage in the landing, and she will retreat to gem form. Oh! Lars, you have yet to witness this, I see! A gem can retract their forms into their gemstones if they are badly injured."

Rhodonite joined them, "As long as their gem is in tact, Rutile will be back to themself in no time!"

"Good... Well, it sucks that they won't be able to meet everyone yet- but I'm just relieved their okay..." He paused. Lars remembered at this moment.. Sadie waiting for him. He'd put his own safety in front of hers- and she could've been seriously hurt... Lars carefully handed Rutile's gem to Rhodonite. He knew what he needed to do. He had to stop prolonging it and apologize to her. It's felt like ages, and yet- he never forgot what he did. It was time to confront it.

The skinny humanoid started limping away from the others. "Where are you going..?" Steven asked, looking over in concern. "Are you ready..?"

"Hell no! I'm horrified! But- I gotta get it over with eventually." He smirked.

The gems waited for Steven to return with the others. It had been a while now, and they were getting worried.

"What if it was just a trap?" Pearl asked.

"A trap?" Peridot's voice cracked.

"Yes! A trap! What if those Homeworld Gems only wanted to capture Steven!?"

Amethyst started snickering, "Uh- Steven just went on their ship, like an hour ago, P."

"So?" Pearl blushed, "That means nothing!"

"Should we go after him?" Connie asked.

"No." Garnet said, adjusting her glasses. "He'll be fine."

The others nodded, trusting her future vision.

Just then, someone started to emerge from the wreckage. The gems knew it wasn't Steven, and summoned their weapons in caution. They had pink skin, and pale hair, with a scar over their right eye. Maybe it was the rising smoke, but the inhuman looked somewhat familiar. Everyone stood back as they watched him struggle to get out in silence. "...Laramie..?" Martha, Lars' mother, asked, approaching him.

Lars looked up, his muscles were stiff and he was blushing. His heart would be racing, if it could go any faster than 20 beats per minute, that is. "Mom.." He confirmed her doubts. The gems looked shocked, and their weapons disappeared. Martha spurted towards him with no hesitation, wrapping her arms around him into a hug. She was crying over her son's shoulder, as her grip tightened. His skin felt cold like a corpse. "Mom..." Lars repeated, this time he had tears rolling down his face. He never thought he'd be so happy to see his mother- it felt so good being hugged by her. Yet another thing he had took for granted.

More characters started to come out, including Steven and some bizarre gems.

Fluorite rose out of the crater, crawling out like a gigantic caterpillar. When Mrs. Barriga opened her eyes again, she saw the creature towering above them. She fell back, staring at it in fear. The gems once again got into position to fight, as the other humans stepped back. "W-wait! These are the Off-Colors!" Lars explained, defending them. "They're my friends.. They helped me get home..."

The unfamiliar gems felt uncomfortable around the scared humans. After Lars helped his mother back up, she approached Fluorite, the leader of the Off-Colors. Martha took one of her hands, and looked up at her. "Thank you for taking care of my son." She smiled, still sobbing uncontrollably.

Lars began to zone out, looking around at his old friends. There she was... His eyes were on Sadie. She seemed aloof, barely paying attention. It was intimidating. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking... Was she mad? Was she mad at Lars? Or just... Didn't care..?

"Sadie..." Lars said softly. She looked at him, her eyes burned into his soul, sending a shiver through his spin. "Look, I know you're mad at me, but I-" Before he could finish, Sadie walked up and punched him as hard as she could in the gut. Lars fell over, "What the fuck was that?!"

"That was what you get for abandoning me, shithead!"

Lars bit his lip looking away. "I didn't mean to run like that, I-I just panicked,"

"No! What are you even going on about? I'm not mad that you didn't save me- I knew you were too big of a pussy to do anything, already!" Lars looked away, blushing. "I'm mad because you ditched everyone and were gone for half a fucking year! We-we were worried about you..."

Lars got up, rubbing his sore body. "I'm sorry... Sadie, please..." She started to walk home, ignoring his pleads. Unaware of what she even meant, Lars knew he'd fucked up.

The slim teenager started to run after her, but felt someone grabbing him, as he was pulled back. "Not so fast." He looked over, a Crystal Gem with thick shades covering her eyes confronted him. "We need to talk."


	3. First Defeat

Homeworld's subterranean abyss was an endless labyrinth, the walls were covered in a presumably infinite array of pococurante holes. The hollowed-out stalagmites twisted into inept clumps. Lars was fascinated by the surreality of the planet, but at the same time staring at the holes too long fucked with his eyes. It had been over a month since his abduction, and yet it was still so difficult for the foreigner to comprehend the bizarre surroundings. He was amazed by the Off-Colors' ability to navigate their way around.

Of course, shattering robonoids were a big issue, too. The swarms of devices frisked the area, aimlessly shattering any gem they'd be lucky enough to come in contact with. That's why the gems had to stay on alert. The Off-Colored gems weren't exactly practical in combat. Lars has been fending them off, he's gained a bit of experience dealing with them and has proven to be quite capable against them. Robonoids, that is. When it came to a real opponent he wouldn't have any idea what to do.

The group squeezed together in a hollowed out tunnel, as one of the Rutile twins peaked around the corner, scoping out the perimeter for any signs of robonoids. "Okay, we're clear." She announced to the others. The twins shifted themselves through the end of the passage, waiting for the others to follow. Lars followed behind Rutile, he was equipped with a broken stalagmite rod as a weapon. Next came Rhodonite who was holding Padparadscha in 2 of her arms. Lastly, Fluorite crawled out, having to shapeshift herself down a bit to fit through; the massive fusion reverted back to her original size once she was through.

"It's safe!" Padparadscha told the others, minutes too late.

The caverns were clear for now, but the gems had to move quickly; it wasn't safe to stand out in the opening for too long. As they moved down the open path, Rhodonite paused in mid footstep. The party stopped, turning to the Pearl-Ruby fusion.

"What's the hold up?" Lars asked.

"SSshsh! I think I hear something!" She whispered, holding the orange gem tighter and looking around petrified.

There was a faint thumping, echoing through the hollowed gorge. The gems froze for a moment. Rhodonite started mumbling to herself anxiously, pacing back and fourth as Rutile started holding themselves together into a hug. They all looked traumatized. Lars wasn't quite sure what was going on, he'd dealt with shattering robonoids before, but it was never made this big of a deal. No- this had to be different. This was not a robonoid. "Hurry, hide." Fluorite commanded the others. The Off-Colors followed their leader's demands, sprinting to the nearest hole that would have enough room for all of them to cram into. The giant gem fusion couldn't fit in any holes in range, she treaded around a corner, stretching out her long body against the wall.

"What is she doing?! She's gonna get caught!" Lars whispered, stepping out of the hole to run and help her.

Rhodonite pulled him back, "Are you insane? Don't worry about Fluorite, she's better at hiding than she looks, just trust her."

The faint footsteps grew louder. A figure started to appear. They appeared female, with a purple toned body and long hair. They were tall and muscular, wearing a yellow uniform and a detachable cape, with a gemstone visible under her chest. She looked in their general direction- they pulled back- catching a glimpse at her cold eyes, just in time not to be seen.

"Why is another gem down here? No one ever comes down here unless they're sent down here! And- she doesn't look defective!" Rutile whispered. "She looks like a soldier." The other twin added.

"It's an Amethyst!" Padparadscha shouted, naive to the gem's nearby presence. Rhodonite quickly placed her hand over her mouth, attempting to muffle her. The Amethyst heard the Sapphire's prediction, and approached their direction. At this point the gems were quaking in fear.

Lars was terrified- but his adrenaline kicked in, and he didn't have time to think straight. This is what Lars had to do- he wasn't going to bail out again, he wasn't going to ever abandon anyone again. They didn't deserve it- Sadie didn't deserve it... His thoughts were getting mixed up; his emotions were interfering. Lars gripped the end of his weapon, before climbing out of the hole and dashing out and charging at the being, holding his stalagmite like a bat, slamming it into her, and-

It broke. The bat had crumbled into pieces on contact. She didn't even seemed phased, except for a laugh she cracked. Lars stepped back. "What was that excuse for an attack?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "And what are you? Not a gem I've seen before," She looked down his body, her eyes meeting back to his once more, "Certainly no Rose Quartz."

Rose Quartz. Lars recognized that name. That was what those crazy tyrants called Steven. They must've sent gems to search for him..

He went to swing a punch at the Gem when she grabbed his forearm- crushing the bones in her tight grip. He fell to his knees, yelping in pain, as she held him by the frail arm. The quartz looked down at him with a malie grin, "Pathetic." She said, as she ruthlessly pulled his arm out of his socket. There was loud pop, as his joints were severed- sending a jolt of relentless pain throughout his nerves. Lars let out a blood-curdling scream, as the pain simmered. She released him; the limp body fell to the ground. Lars couldn't move, he was too weak to fight back anymore, and he couldn't escape; his body was too paralyzed in fear.

The Off-Colors winced at their friends torment. They were forced to keep quiet and watch helplessly; they were all incapable of fighting, even if they tried. Lars can handle it; they told themselves, desperately holding on any hope they had. He can't lose! They knew they were wrong.

"Why haven't you retreated into your gem form yet? You're only making yourself look more like a coward in that hideous form of yours."

That struck a nerve in Lars. He wanted to prove he wasn't a coward anymore- and yet, now he was more terrified than ever. He seemed powerless against her. "I'm not sc-cared of you- you big purple freak." He bluffed, using his remaining functioning limbs in attempt to stand.

She kicked him back down, his head smacked against the cold hard ground, as he spit up a dark pink fluid. Was that his... Blood? Even that was pink, now. "So, I guess you're more durable than I took you for," She started, as her gem started to glow. Whe pulled out a vaguely familiar rod shaped object that split off into 2 ends, with a yellow energy at the tip. "I didn't want to do this, but I guess I've got no choice... If I let you go, you'll just get in my way."

She stuck the object right into his neck, he was pinned down between the 2 solid tips, as the yellow energy collided right into his flesh. He screamed as a sharp, painful sensation shot through his body. His veins visibly were glowing yellow, as the energy coursed through it, and the blood he had been coughing up had started to have the effect as well.

"What is this...? You're still here." She stood up and dropped the ineffective tool next to her. "I've never seen anything like that before..." She examined his body again, picking up his arms and checking them thoroughly; Lars was too weak to fight back. The Amethyst abruptly broke into laughter, "Holy shit! You don't have a gem!" She snorted, "B-but, you aren't organic either!"

The Off-Colors continued to cower, and observe the gem; they wondered if what she said about Lars was true. Was he... Not organic? What would that make him?

"Soddyite is going to loooove meeting you." The Amethyst grinned, kicking Lars in the jaw, causing him to pass out. "Don't worry, you won't be shattered. Soddy is just going to dissect and experiment on you for a while. Then maybe she'll have you shattered." She explained as she picked up the limp, beaten body, starting to carry him to her vessel.

Suddenly, the Amethyst felt a jab in the back. She dropped Lars, turning around as her body decayed. A small orange Sapphire was stabbing her with her own destabilizer. "Look everyone, she dropped her gem destabilizer!" Padparadscha cheered. The others watched in awe; Rhodonite wasn't even sure how she snuck out there.

"Well played." The quartz poofed back into her gemstone. The Off-Colors came out from hiding, running to assist. Rutile swiped the gem from Padparadscha, showing it to Fluorite.

"What should we do with her?"

"Leave her." Fluorite answered.

The twins looked at her, confused. "But- what about what she did to Lars?"

"We'll get Lars out of here and somewhere safe until Steven arrives, we should have enough time to retreat while she's reforming."

Rhodonite bit her lip, "But, when she returns, she'll go back to the Diamonds and tell them what happened!"

Fluorite nodded, solemnly. "Let her do so."

The gems understood the reasoning of Fluorite's merciful nature, and overall they agreed it was the best thing to do. After that, they took off to seek a safe shelter to stay at for a few days. Steven had been visiting often, around twice a week. Lars' form was strong, just like the Amethyst said- so there was no doubt in their minds that he would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to overuse Fluorite shapeshifting, because it seems like a lazy scapegoat (she's supposed to be big!), so I decided to apply my own rules. 1, Fluorite can only shapeshift for a small amount of time, because not all of the gems in the fusion have the ability, so it has to be distributing between them all. 2, She only makes herself smaller or bigger, never a different shape or appearance because her gems all think she's perfect the way she is as an embodiment of their relationship.
> 
> The Amethyst shown is one made on Homeworld, not Earth- and is a part of Yellow Diamond's specially selected forces, and was trained under stricter conditions. She let her guard down because she was unaware there were other Off-Colors, but now she knows, and she might be returning, so look out.


	4. The Pseudo Gem

"Not so fast. We need to talk."

Lars sat in Steven's home in silence, waiting for the Crystal Gems to return. They were on the other side of a giant magic door, they had told their pink guest to stay in Steven's room and wait for them to return. The Off-Color's were using the Warp pads to explore a bit- except Rutile who was resting in her gemstone by the windowsill. He'd never actually been in the beach house, maybe once or twice but it still felt awkward sitting there alone in silence- and he'd been on an alien planet for the last 6 months!

"What am I even doing here? This is a waste of time, I should be looking for Sadie!"Lars griped, standing up from the couch. Lars walked to the door, ready to bail- when he saw a bright glow from across the room. He rushed back to his seat as the door opened and the gems walked out. Steven took a seat next to Lars, apologizing about the wait. The others stood in front of him like they were about to make him a presentation.

"So," Garnet began, "We talked about it, and tomorrow you're going to start your training-"

"What do you mean I'm going to?" Lars interrupted.

"What? Did you think you could just- go back to being some regular ordinary human? Just look at yourself! You're like some sorta Pseudo gem now!" Peridot laughed, sitting on the kitchen counter next to the defective Amethyst.

"Well... I..." He hadn't really thought about it before. "I guess you're right..." What did he think would happen? He'd just pretend nothing ever happened..? Lars looked down at his hand, his own skin was going to be a constant reminder- a reminder of what he was.

Garnet knelled down, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You are not a human. You are not a gem. We aren't sure what you really are. But what I'm trying to say is- you have powers that you don't know how to control; you could end up hurting someone." She was right.

"If he's joining the Crystal Gems, he isn't staying in the barn." Lapis said.

Steven's eyes lit up, "Oooh- you can stay with me! We can be roommates!" Steven hugged Lars excitedly.

"Oh god. That's gay, Steven!" He pushed the younger boy off of him. Garnet lowered her shades, narrowing her 3 eyes at him. "Wait- Not like that!" Lars redressed his statement, waving his hand defensively.

"No- it's more like, you're like the brother I've never had!" Steven grinned. This caused Lars to get embarrassed and began blushing.

He shook his head, trying not to get too off-track. "Okay, so what do you mean about moving, can't I just live in my own home..?"

"Well, Doughnut Guy- you don't have to, but Homeworld's after you, right? Didn't you say..." Amethyst glanced at Steven, "Soddyite..?"

"Did you say a Soddyite?!" Peridot shouted, pushing Amethyst.

"Is that a big deal..?" Amethyst asked, taking Peridot's hands off her.

"Soddyites are huge deals! They love tearing apart biological organisms and testing on them, if they got their hands on you, Pinky, they would-!"

Peridot had paused when she noticed the bleak grimace on Lars' face.

Steven put an arm around him, "It's okay now... We're going to protect you. We're not going to let you get abducted again.."

It was 2 am. Lars couldn't sleep. He was laying on Steven's couch uncomfortably staring at the ceiling. The glistening moonlight leaked into the room. It felt weird being back on Earth- it certainly wasn't going the way he planned. First of all, tomorrow he was going to be officially moving in with Steven, so he could be closer to the temple. Maybe it could be fun though- training to fight, going on missions, having cool magic powers; he wouldn't have to go to school or work part-time at... Shit... Sadie.

"Lars.. Are you still awake..?" A voice said from the loft.

"Yeah.."

"I'm sorry... It's all my fault that you're all wrapped up in this... I never wanted to get you involved in this gem war or anything... I know what it's like being dragged into something like this. I was literally born into being a rebellion leader, war criminal! I-I'm sorry. I- I-m s-so so sorry..." Lars started to hear him break into tears. He looked down, as much as he didn't want to be here, he wasn't mad at Steven.

"I'm fine, Steven! Really, it's, it's ok-"

"No, it's not! I ruined your life!"

"I ruined my own life. You gave me a new opportunity to live one."

Lars climbed up to Steven's loft, sitting at the end of his bed and looking out his window. He was never good at comforting people, but he thought being here would help... Steven sat up leaning against the teenager, still sobbing softly. "Uh... You know, the sky looks so different from Homeworld... It's much nicer from here." He sighed, looking around, "I'm terrible at this. Sorry."


	5. Alone

Flairs of lightning festered among the dull gray skies above Beach City, the sparks of electricity shined into the thin, screen windows of the Beach House. Rain was pouring over the town, the beach had gone from sand to mud, and drops of rain plummeted against the rooftop rhythmically.

Lars' back and neck felt stiff. He was lying on top of a hard, glossy surface. He opened his eyes, sitting up and stretching out his aching spine. His eyes adjusted to the darkness off the room, when he realized he had been lying on the warp pad in front of the temple door. At first he was confused, but he quickly came to the conclusion that he must've ended up there when he was half-asleep.

Lars couldn't sleep last night, his anxiety kept him up. He recalled rolling around and adjusting himself a lot on the couch, in an attempt to get comfortable enough to sleep. When that didn't work, he must've just tried lying in other places- until he ended up in his current state. Unfortunately his back was now suffering as result.

The teen stood up, carefully stepping off of the unfamiliar device. He made his way to the window, observing the grim weather outside. It had been so long since he'd seen rain. Homeworld's artificial atmosphere was immune to any weather patterns- the planet had no organic matter, and lacked the requirements Earth was suited for. He almost didn't recognize the sound of thunder striking in the distance- it felt unnerving that an Earthling such as himself had become so unfamiliar to basic weather patterns.

Lars looked around Steven's kitchen for a coffee pot. He dug around the cupboards, trying not to wake the kid, he knew it was a rough night and the last thing he'd want to do is wake him up so early. Speaking of which, the pink teenager checked the time on the small electronic clock on the microwave- it was just past 5 am. Even with his magical body, Lars was restricted to a regular sleep cycle- surprisingly he found himself asleep longer now, more than ever. He didn't need to eat, but sleep was still a necessity.

Lars finished looking in the last pantry, he couldn't find any coffee, just an old pot that looked like it hadn't been used for 8 years. Considering Steven's age, he was probably too young to drink coffee. He took a quick look around the house, spotting the bathroom.

Lars looked at his reflection in the small vanity mirror. It was the first time he'd gotten such a clear look at his new body. Something about it pained him to look at.

He gently touched his face while focusing intently on the mirror, his fingertips slid down the scar on his face. He could picture it; his eye torn open, impailed by sharp scrap-metal that had gone clean through his skull. It wasn't until he realized the tears that were dripping down his cheeks, that he had reluctantly shook his head- getting the image out of his mind. Lars wiped his tears and began to remove his tattered clothes.

The warm water dripped off of the bruised and beaten skin of the boy, as he stood under the shower head with his eyes closed. The water felt so relaxing against his cold, dead body. He could've just spent all day in the shower, if he could. Lars contemplated whether or not he should was his hair. It was already soft and fluffy, and it seemed to stay clean since he'd had it. Would washing it affect the magic-? It sounded stupid, but having magic powers was new to him- he didn't know! It's better to be careful than to end up fucking up. Lars decided to leave it.

Lars barrowed a pair of old briefs he found in Steven's room before getting in the bathroom- he made sure they were clean, of course; and got back on his trousers- that were less torn up than he'd expected. He put on one of Steven's signature star shirts, it was baggy on his thin torso, but was too short, and only covered his upper torso. It was still better than the shirt he'd been in for the last 6 months, it was so torn up, that it was practically held together by a thread.

Before leaving, Lars felt obligated to check on Steven. The last months he'd been so protective over the Off-Colors; and it was like Steven had said, he was like an older brother to him. He climbed up into his loft room, bending down by the twin-bed. The gem-human hybrid seemed so innocent, lying there, shivering from the cold weather- hugging a teddy bear. Lar's smiled a bit, just a year ago he would've taken this as a chance to bully him over sleeping with a toy, or something petty like that. Back then, he was ignorant and took out his own insecurities on him. However, back then he never would had guessed the poor kid was going through so much. It baffled Lars, how somebody so small and innocent could go through so much emotional trauma and still come out with a smile. He looked up at the painting above the door, the one of the pink haired lady. Lars only assumed it was Steven's mom, she looked just like him.. The smiling portrait was so beautiful and graceful- Lars wondered how it felt to have to look up to that painting everyday; knowing that you'd have to live up to it's majesty. It made his anxiety look like nothing.

Lars gently tucked in Steven under his blankets. He proceeded to the window, looking at Rutile's unchanged gemstone. He could feel his face go pale was he looked at the gem... The humanoid scooped their gem up in a pillow and moved it onto the kitchen counter, away from the windowsill.

The rainfall got heavier- it looked like there would be a flood, considering the high tides. Lars yawned, as he stepped outside into the rain- it felt cold, but nothing that he couldn't handle. The humid air and breeze felt nice. He walked down the porch, carefully watching his step. The muddy sand went up to his ankles, as he trudged through the beach, into the boardwalk.

Lars passed by the Big Doughnut, the place he used to work at. The joint looked dead; it was closed, empty, all of the lights were off. He always hated working there- but somehow now, he could only seem to remember it fondly. It felt so lively in his memories, probably because Sadie was with him.

And that's just where he was heading. He had to talk to Sadie. It was his last chance to set things right... He had to tell her- tell her everything.


	6. Closure

Lars took in a deep breath of air as he approached the door steps of Sadie Miller's home. He exhaled, trying to calm himself down- even through the cold rain, he could feel himself covered in sweat. He tried to control his shaking hand as he knocked on the front door. The anxiety was unbearable. Maybe it isn't too late for him to turn back? No. Don't be a coward, Lars. He wasn't going to run again, even if it killed him. Lars looked up, the raindrops rolled down his face. What was he going to say? It felt pointless. He forced out a burst of laughter to cope with his fear.

Suddenly he froze. He heard footsteps from the other side of the walls. His bones went completely stiff, yet he could still feel himself shivering. The door opened, Lars was confronted by a tired Sadie wearing a bathrobe, pajamas, and slippers. She looked up at the taller figure with spite.

"Sadie, please just give me a chance to explain myself.." He flinched. She could see the tears dripping down his face, through the rain.

She rolled her eyes, brushing the unkempt hair away from her face. "Fine. Come in." She moved away, giving him room.

Lars walked into the basement, taking a seat on Sadie's bed, awkwardly. Sadie joined him shortly after, tossing a towel over his head. "Dry yourself off, you're soaked." Lars nodded hesitantly. He kneaded the towel through his drenched hair, before wrapping the damp cloth over his shoulders. To his surprise, Sadie took a seat next to him- he squirmed back in his seat. "Well," She started, "Aren't you going to explain yourself?"

"Where do I start? First, I should say sorry. Listen, please- I know it's been a long time, but I haven't forgotten you. Every moment that I was away- I was thinking of you... I-I couldn't stop thinking about you. Please- I wanted to come back bu-"

"Then why didn't you?" Sadie interrupted, biting her lip.

"I would if I could've, idiot!" He bursted out, as his eyes started to water. Sadie kept her mouth shut, covering it with her hands. "S-sorry. I-I couldn't come home, it wasn't that simple... That place, Homeworld, it was terrifying... I was hunted like an animal, I got no sleep, and I barely escaped from death- quite a few times!"

Before he could go on, he felt Sadie pull him into a hug. Her embrace flustered him, "Listen, I-I'm sorry I got ma-mad.. I-I was just scared. I missed you so much!" She started to cry, as tears trickled down her face.

"It's okay, Sadie." He reached over to her bedstand, grabbing a tissue box. "Please don't cry.." He whimpered, wiping her eyes.

Lars watched in embarrassment as Sadie cleaned herself up. She wiped her tears and tried to calm herself down, "S-so... I think it's time to address the elephant in the room..." She laughed a bit, trying to change the subject.

"You mean.. Why am I pink, right?"She nodded. Lars sighed in response, "Alright, well... There was a... Accident... And a robot thing exploded.. Well- I destroyed it, and it exploded next to me... And it impaled me- and... I blacked out..."

"Lars, what are you trying to tell me?" She inquired.

He exhaled, "I died, Sadie."

The room was silent. The only sound was the rainfall from outside. Sadie stared at him, horrified.

"Steven bought me back to life, but- he also gave me powers and this new body." He looked down at himself, blushing. "I'm sorry..."

"Well... I like it.." Sadie abruptly said, smiling at him.

Lars smiled a bit, "Really? I'm pink, though!"

The shorter one laughed, "That doesn't matter! Alright, it might be a little weird- but I'll get used to it." She gave him a playful nudge on the shoulder.

"Sadie, there's still something I gotta tell you..." He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. He was afraid to say it out loud, but now had to be the time. He couldn't hold it in, "I love you. I'm an idiot for not realizing it sooner, I'm sorry, it took me being a refugee on a crazy alien planet to realize how much I needed you! I don't care if you don't feel the same, i-it's fine, I would get it. But... I just needed to finally tell you." He blushed, looking away from her when he finished, "I get it if you don't wanna be with me because I'm part pink alien now or something."

"Lars!" She seemed shaken by the sudden revelation. "I'm sorry... I can't.." The slender teen sulked down in embarrassment and shame at her words. "I'm with somebody else now." He was crushed. If only he had told her before... It's all his fault, and it was too late.

He put on a brave face, pretending to accept it. "T-that's cool! I get it!" He meekly laughed, "It's fine!"

Lars felt like he was dying inside. His heart was crumpling apart. "I-I hope we could still be friends or hang out!" Sadie attempted to comfort him.

Despite the regret that washed over him, Lars mustered up the strength to nod, "Y-yeah.. Li-listen, I'm going to b-be busy with the Cry-Crystal Gems.." He paused, trying to focus on his words, "I'm going to be living with Steven for a wh-while, but maybe I can find time to stop by the Big Doughnut..." He told her as he got up and walked upstairs.

"A-alright, well I guess I'll see you around...?" Sadie gently waved, as she watched him walk himself out.

Lars walked to the temple in the vacant, flooded streets of Beach City. Water reached up to his knees, as he dragged along the boardwalk. He passed by the Big Doughnut, he froze and looked at the building. He felt himself walk towards the store without thinking. His body seemingly moved on its own, he leaned against the cold glass- the looming sense of loss and emptiness drew him towards the familiar setting. He had sulked down, intent in his own defeat- when he heard his name called out in the distance. He ignored it at first, but then the familiar voice became louder.

Lars looked up, seeing 2 silhouetted figures approaching him. They waved to him, he stood up, squinting to try to identify them. "Lars!" Steven's voice echoed.

They became cleared as they came closer, Lars was able to recognize them as Steven and Rutile. Rutile, they were back! Lars felt a bit better about seeing them, even if he was still crushed. The twins offered him their hand, he took it and gave a gentle smile. "Rutile, it's good to see you..."

"Come on, let's get out of this rain," Steven told them. The Rutile twins nodded, and Lars just obliviously followed along.


End file.
